Tag Archives: weight watchers online

WHAT I EAT ( weight loss and vegan)

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Happy Tuesday to all. Here I am, day three of posting each and every day. This week I stayed the same, but I think I’m killing it in the weight loss game. I use the WW app to track what I eat, and as a vegan I try to be careful how much starchy foods I eat. I don’t limit them all together, I just keep all of my portions in check. It’s all about good nutrition and portion control for me. 

Food, it’s something we have to learn to have a healthy relationship with, and I’m definitely starting to achieve balance. Monday’s are my vegan cheat day, on that day I eat vegan comfort foods like pasta or a veggie burger. Tuesday’s through Sunday I eat Whole Foods/plant based; basically cleaner vegan. I do limit my oils, salt and sugar but I do not eliminate them completely. I have really cut down though, my olive oil bottle lasts a very long time now. I always drink 16 oz of water when I wake up, and about 6 oz of coconut water. I immediately eat a banana as I wait for my coffee to brew. Breakfast is usually something quick, overnight oats or a vegan protein bar and coffee with silk soy creamer and a bit of raw sugar or blackstrap molasses. I’m a zombie until after a drink my java. My eating plan is pretty much 80/20. Mostly clean with a little wiggle room. It keeps me from over obsessing about food. I try to get around 60 grams of protein daily through plant based options. 

Here are some photos of what I eat for breakfast and dinner. Vegan pancakes are a day off treat. I usually only eat twice a day on work days with my schedule. Lots of fresh fruits, greens, veggies, and some frozen as well. Pasta only on occasional Mondays. I make a lot of high protein bean soups, like split pea and lentil soups. I admit I eating vegan protein bars for breakfast when I feel rushed is not the healthiest but it works for me.  Ezekiel bread, hummus, baked tofu with veggies, legumes, so many delicious and healthy vegan options. Here’s pics of some of my go to get healthy meals. I will post recipes soon. What are your staples? Happy Eating and losing weight!

Vegan Split Pea Soup

Vegan Bean Chili

Vegan faux meat balls with homemade marinara and veggies

Pancakes with bananas, oat flour and soy milk. Dark Chocolate Chip version.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Soda alternative

Natures Candy

Staple main dish salad

Vegan tomato basil cream sauce fettuccine

Cheat day treat, I add vegan mayo

Vegan tomato bolognese with red wine

Baked tofu and kale or spinach with veggies. Italian seasoning with a bit of olive oil

Vegan tomato bolognese penne pasta.

Vegan banana pancakes with berries

Avocado chocolate mousse from Melissa Bender Fitness adapted by Chocolate Covered Katie

Meal prep berries with lemon juice

Trader Joe’s steamed lentil and veggie salad

CHANGING MY HABITS

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I’ve been thinking a lot of habits. Everything begins with a habit, and those habits can be positive or negative. I’ve been meaning to begin blogging daily, but I’m yet to actually start the habit of signing in daily. It’s something I really want to commit to, so today is day one. Habits sometimes happen when you adopt other habits which become your routine. Changing for the better is not easy, but the first steps to change is the willingness to do so. 

Habits can make or break our goals. There are healthy habits that become life changing routines, or unhealthy habits that develop when we are busy grinding through the mundane chores of life. Our business of being so busy often gets in the way of developing healthy habits and routines. We reward our hard day with fast food instead of taking the time to grocery shop and meal prep. The drive through is convenient, it’s open late. There is no clean up, or thought that has to go into it. It’s fast, delicious, and takes almost no effort. Changing your habits is especially difficult when you are strapped under financial and time constraints. 

My unhealthy habit is sleeping in late. My schedule and routine has altered in the last year when I began working nights waiting tables. I often do not get home until 11 pm and sometimes later, and I tend to stay up until 3-4 am. If I’m suffering through anxiety induced insomnia I will even fall asleep even later. I need my sleep, that’s a non negotiable, but I also have a laundry list of goals I wish to accomplish to change my life for the better. It all begins with slowly beginning new habits and adopting a routine which can work for my schedule and my goals. It all comes back to habits. 

My husband James explained to be my hours are not that unusual. When a person works 9-5 they pretty much do the same as I do. They get home around 6 pm, have dinner, and they normally unwind for hours doing what they enjoy before bedtime. I get that I’m doing the normal things, but because my shift is different, I do it at an abnormal hour.

I also have friends that tell me to be gentle with myself, and treat myself with grace. These things are true but being too easy on myself won’t get me to where I’m going.  Sometimes putting in the work to accomplish goals takes great sacrifice. I’m a work in progress but I’m trying to figure it all out. Habits, it all comes back to my habits. I want to be a habitual go getter, so going forward my routines are going to be changing, and that’s all the better for me.

 

Here are some of my goals that cannot happen if I do not change.

Blog daily, track food, lose weight, incorporate fitness through cardio, flexibility and yoga and strength training, help charities, study for American Council of Exercise group exercise certification exam, take exam in the fall, write more, submit writing to be published, work on marketing for books, blogs and do social media. Not to mention personal goals like financial, family, travel etc. This list can get out of control but I’m putting it out there. Tomorrow is Monday, and I love a new beginning. I’m beginning my Monday with weigh in, blog post, workout and study.

Ok, now I’m tired but I feel good. Time for a delicious cup of coffee to begin fueling my day.

What are your goals? Do you have a routine? Is it a morning routine? I would love to hear how you get it done. With much love and Light. Let’s be goal getters together.

Namaste’

Rose  

WEIGH IN MONDAY

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Happy Monday to all. Today is my weigh in day, and I stayed the exact same at 173 lbs. Actually last week I weighed 173.4, so technically it’s a loss. I don’t know what happened, but last week I went over my points and my extra weeklies. That doesn’t mean higher calorie, some foods have higher points because of fats and carbs. On the new WW program there are a lot of free foods, lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and vegan proteins like beans and tofu.  This week I will try to eat a little fewer points by focusing more on beans, tofu and fruits and veggies. Tonight I’m making whole wheat angel hair and a low point Eggplant  Parmigiana with tofu. If it turns out I will post my recipe. I make a killer vegan Bolognese and marinara.

My hubby James has to work the next few Mondays, but in August we plan to go to Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary as soon as he has a free Monday again.  We are both so excited. The next few weeks will be busy because we have a lot of work. After the first week of August we will be caught up on things, and we can then take the time to go volunteer. It’s something I plan to do on the regular, working with the animals.  We are really working on positive mindset and believing we can accomplish any goal we set our hearts to. 

Going forward on my blog I’m working on time management. I work a lot, and I’m having a little difficulty working on the things I love to do, with my job which is time-consuming and exhausting. I’m grateful for my job and the lovely people I get to work with, but if I’m going to make my goals a reality I need to wake up earlier and have a full day before work. My job is my reality now, so if I want to make things happen I must adjust my morning routine, and wake up a lot earlier. Discipline in the a.m. is something I’m really lacking. 

Here are some things I need to work on. I got the food down, I’m losing weight. I admit though, my fitness routine has been very spotty. I need to incorporate my routine daily. I also have to work on my study time for my American Council of Exercise group exercise certification. I also plan to start blogging more often. Since I’ve started blogging again my weekly posts are consistent, and I’m losing, but I can do so much more. My plan is to share what is working on this second journey of mine, and also get some technical help to make my blog more user-friendly. Down the line I plan to start a YouTube channel. I have one but it’s really not something I’ve ever worked on, and it kind of really sucks. I will relaunch it when I’m ready. To round out my goals, more writing, more submitting writing and maybe looking into some marketing for my first book Camellia in Snow. I also think maybe posting about some things I do to say youthful inside and out may be fun. I will work on my goals, but that means going to bed earlier, sleep is non negotiable for me. I like to shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. 

I am off for now, drinking my water mixed with coconut water. It really wakes my system up. What goals are you working on? Do you let obstacles get in your way? Do you have a morning routine?

Today I’m writing in my pretty Paris Notebook, all the things small and grand I dream of. Life is beautiful, and dreams are worth dreaming big. It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how much you weigh, or how much money you have. Dreams start in the form of your thoughts. Thoughts become ideas, ideas begin action, and your active involvement in making your thoughts into reality turns into you working on your dream life. It’s like magic. Magic thoughts, make it happen. I plan to. Let’s do this. Love and Light, Rose.

 

WEIGH IN MONDAY

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Happy Monday to all. It’s rainy here, but rainy days and Mondays do not get me down. I’ve chosen happiness and I’m going forth with joy and kindness for myself and others.  I lost another pound. Cue my happy, coffee drinking  post weigh in dance. I’m currently 173 lbs. I’m down 11 lbs since I began WW. It’s slow and steady and I feel in control, so it’s perfect to me. I already feel lighter. I’m tweaking my fitness and I’m working with my number one fitness guru Melissa from Melissa Bender Fitness. I’m going back to what has worked in the past. Working on cardio, flexibility and strength.

As I settle into my fitness routine I will post more. I’m losing weight and baking vegan healthy cookies, for myself and others around me. I’m sharing kindness and joy, no longer wallowing in my weight. I ate pasta and tator tots last week, but the difference is I watched my portion control, I tracked everything, and most of my meals are clean and healthy. Saturday night after work my hubby made me veggie burgers and tator tots, such a treat. I skipped the bun! It’s little tweaks here and there that make a difference in your weight loss journey. I never binge anymore, everything is counted. WW sent me my ten pound charm, how cool is that? 

This weekend we have to buy work boots for our visit to Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary. I plan to be a regular there if they will have me. My life has its troubles and giving back helps me through the struggles. We all have them, it’s how we get through them that defines us. I started this blog in 2013 with intentions to lose weight and help a charity with each ten pounds I lost. I never dreamed I would gain half my weight back, but I’m so happy to be here doing what I’m doing today. The weight gain and restarting my weight loss is part of my life journey, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m learning so much about myself and growing. That’s a beautiful thing. I realized my success didn’t define me, my kindness defines me. Now I do what I do for my health and my goals, and if I end up looking better great. I’m in it to make a difference and that’s my motivation. 

Thunderstorms today and I love it. As much as I have missed the California sun, I really have grown to appreciate Texas weather. My motto going forward is to Bloom where I am planted. Make a difference in my own backyard. I’ve been baking vegan cookies and they are such a hit, I’m using the money for carrots and apples for the horses. Happy Brand new week. Namaste. Rose 

 

 

 

 

I LOST TEN POUNDS

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Happy Monday to all. It’s July, and I love this month. Everything is warm and happy, it’s the best of the summer. I’m starting to really focus on all aspects of my life, and I plan to post more on here what I’m doing to live my best life, and to give back to others and animals. First things first, I lost ten pounds. 

This is the first time I have lost any significant weight in two years. For new readers I slipped back when we moved to Texas from Los Angeles, after losing my Mom and our cat Rascal. It took me a bit to get back to feeling like myself and I believe I am on my way. 

I really enjoy using the WW app to track my points. I have tracked no matter what, it’s important to stay accountable. Another motivational moment for me is when I committed myself to volunteering at Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary. They are my first ten pound weight loss charity, and I truly hope to volunteer with them on the regular. I can’t wait to meet the horses and wonderful humans that care for them. Much gratitude to Donna at the sanctuary.  I’m coming for you 20 lbs and a brand new charity, but my intention is to volunteer with the animals long after I pick my next charities. 

My day starts later since I work nights. So right now I’m having coffee as I blog, and after I’m writing down my short-term intentions, and my long-term goals. Some of my long-term goals may seem crazy, but I’m writing them down. Today begins my 30 day yoga challenge with Melissa Bender Fitness, so after I’m done writing I’m stepping on the mat. I will begin with gratitude in the moment, and stay present and grounded. Lots of positive changes are happening, and it all begins first in positive thoughts. 

Follow the 30 day yoga challenge, here is the link to what I’m doing. Melissa is my best friend and also I look up to her as a mentor too. Love and light and reach for the stars. Rose http://www.benderfitness.com/2016/10/daily-yoga-challenge-10-sun-salutations.html

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE

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Happy Monday to all. Today is my weigh in day and I’m almost at the ten pound mark. I lost two pounds today, and my weight is officially 175 lbs. Soon I will be making arrangements to volunteer at Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary, most likely in July. I’m so excited to meet the animals and do anything to help this wonderful organization. 

This post is short and sweet, I’m under the weather with bad allergies and my energy is not 100%. My throat was hurting for days and my voice is really scratchy and rough. Today and tomorrow I’m laying low with workouts until I’m feeling better. Happy Monday and keep moving forward towards your goals. 

WEIGH IN MONDAY

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Today begins my 4th week on WW. I’ve lost a total of 7 lbs but this week I stayed at the exact weight, no gains or losses. I now weigh 177 lbs.

Why didn’t I lose this week? There could be several reasons and none at all. To be honest I’m happy it’s not a gain, sometimes the scale will creep back up a pound or two when you know you did everything right. 

So instead of obsessing what I did wrong, I will begin this week with what I call WW weight loss lessons. One major WW weight loss lesson is to check points before you buy a seemingly innocent treat, and keep treats to a minimum for that matter. Vegan pizza and vegan frozen bars are a lot more points than they are worth. Pizza is great, but for me not this early in my weight loss game. I’m really going to try to eat zero point foods more, and watch my sodium content. Any vegan fun foods I will only eat in my days off and within reason. Wednesday through Sunday it’s pure clean vegan Whole Foods and plant-based eating. I did good but I can do even better.

I am really going to focus on my fitness as I get my food in order. I’m focusing on wellness, health, flexibility, strength and feeling good. I’m fueling my body so I can achieve my fitness goals. 

To wrap up I’m proud to be back in the 170’s, I’m looking forward to going to Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary as my first ten pound weight loss commitment. There is no failure, only new beginnings to get it right. Dream big in all you do. The future is a vast ocean of possibilities. Love and Light. Rose 

 

WEIGHING IN ON WEIGHING IN

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Take a laxative. Someone I know said that to me when I was discussing my Monday morning weigh in. It’s an old school way of prepping for the scale, something I’m all too familiar with from back in my teen years. It was probably a half joke and half serious statement, most dieters in bygone eras went to drastic measurements to reduce their size. What’s frightening is for a nano second I contemplated running to the grocery store after work to do just that.  

I didn’t buy laxatives, these days I understand the goal of losing weight is health, wellness and fitness. My scale is my guideline and my focus is on my fitness, my strength, flexibility and endurance. I understand working out combined with healthy eating can change the way I look, but more importantly; how I feel. I weigh myself to be accountable, and I believe it’s so important to get to a healthy BMI. I’m a work in progress, and sometimes those die-hard warped eating disorder thoughts creep in.   I recognize them, and I take action to lose weight with a healthy state of mind, mindset is so important when setting goals and choosing happiness.  

i lost another pound and my weight is currently 177 lbs. The changes on the scale are slow, and that’s perfect for me. I’m looking to change my lifestyle for good, not in some  unhealthy crash diet shortcut or in ways that could damage my health. I joined WW online because tracking helps me stay the course, and it helps keep me from obsessing about food. It’s so wonderful for someone like me, it keeps me from extreme dieting and bingeing. I’m losing weight for myself, and I’m accountable to the charity I picked, which keeps me really on point. I’m really looking forward to going to Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary. I’m really looking forward to progressing into the best version of myself. No laxatives, no weight loss crutches; only good old-fashioned hard work, sweat and a little patience. 

WW Weigh In Week One

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Happy Monday to all. Today is my first WW weigh in, and I lost 5.4 lbs. I went from 184.4 lbs to 179 lbs. Some of this may be water weight, because now that I’m doing WW online I’m also eating cleaner which means less sodium. I’m being very consistent with my meals and I’m actually eating more frequently. I track every bite. I snack, I track, I bite, I write; well I type it on my app but you get my little rhyme.

I no longer fear food and obsess over a little olive oil. I have control over food, it doesn’t have control over me. I’m enjoying eating, I’m having my 1 teaspoon of raw sugar in my coffee every morning without worrying. As a vegan I’m already limited, so trying to cut other certain foods out 100% just made me crazy. I now practice my own version of moderation when it comes to sugar, salt, oils, and faux vegan meats and cheeses. I don’t cut them out 100% but I may have them here and there, and that’s ok. Tracking gives me back my sanity over food. My work meals are simple and plain, and that works for my lifestyle. I feel the first week of any weight loss and fitness journey sets the tone, and I’m starting strong. 

I picked what charity I would like to assist when I lose my first ten pounds and I will post that in a separate post. My trainer Bethany plans on joining me. We workout tomorrow, and today I’m doing 30 minutes of cardio and a workout. I believe today’s workout is focusing on shoulders and back. 

Are you on a wellness/weight loss or fitness journey? Did it take you forever to start? I congratulate everyone who is beginning a brand new path to heath.  Let’s do this together. 

Love and Light 

Rose 

 

Weight Watchers Online

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Sometimes you need help and guidance. I recently started working out with my personal trainer Bethany, my best friend Melissa Benderfitness has amazing fitness and yoga videos I follow, but I was struggling with food. I finally caved in after realizing I can’t do it alone and I joined Weight Watchers Online and downloaded the app. They now call themselves WW and their latest program is called freestyle. It focuses on good nutrition but no food is outlawed.

I’m vegan but occasionally I like vegan fun foods, I can lose weight, have my vegan cake and eat it too. Portion control will help me feel in control, and I will learn to focus again on clean nutrition but not freak out if I have a little vegan treat once in a while. For me WW gives me power over food, anyone who suffers eating disorders understands the power food can have over you. I can’t live like that any longer. Today is my day two and I feel great. This program is livable and sustainable.

My  journey includes fitness. I am doing cardio five to six days a week. I’m working out with my trainer once a week, but soon as I learn what she’s teaching me I will do the workouts 2-3 times a week plus Melissa Benderfitness videos and yoga. I’m on this. I try to do my cardio outdoors when I can, there’s nothing like mobile meditation with nature as your backdrop. Below is me in May 2017 right before my Mom passed away and our move from LA to Houston.  I was in great shape, I did it once, I’m going to do it again. 

Well I’m off for now. I picked a charity for my next ten pound weight loss. I will post soon, I want to use the laptop for that so I can include all of their links. Monday I weighed in at 184.4. It’s ok, I got this. Love and Light to all. We are on this journey together, we can lift each other up as we each go about trying to reach our destinations. The journey is the reward.